Deborah first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Deborah has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Deborah

A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "bee".

Popularity of Deborah by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Deborah is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Deborah being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 264 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Deborah.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 264
2022 0 296
2021 0 295
2020 0 289
2019 0 295
2018 0 349
2017 0 357
2016 0 349
2015 0 349
2014 0 373
2013 0 330
2012 0 337
2011 0 332
2010 0 355
2009 0 346
2008 0 356
2007 0 372
2006 0 425
2005 0 425
2004 0 427
2003 0 423
2002 0 474
2001 0 490
2000 0 546
1999 0 524
1998 0 554
1997 0 639
1996 0 635
1995 0 659
1994 0 739
1993 0 797
1992 0 919
1991 0 1,015
1990 5 1,094
1989 10 1,076
1988 0 1,056
1987 7 1,203
1986 7 1,287
1985 7 1,400
1984 6 1,468
1983 6 1,606
1982 9 1,843
1981 7 1,905
1980 7 1,937
1979 13 2,180
1978 12 2,479
1977 21 2,675
1976 17 2,993
1975 15 3,413
1974 20 4,344

The history of the first name Deborah

The name Deborah originates from the Hebrew language and is derived from the word "dever" meaning "bee" or the related word "devorah" meaning "she who speaks." It is believed to have originated in ancient Israel during biblical times.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, Deborah was a prophetess and the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel, as recounted in the Book of Judges. She was known for leading the Israelites to victory against the Canaanites, alongside Barak, in the 12th century BCE.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Deborah is found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of ancient Jewish religious manuscripts dating back to the 3rd century BCE. This suggests the name was in use among Jewish communities during the late Second Temple period.

In the Middle Ages, the name Deborah was less common, but it did appear in various records and literature. For example, Deborah was the name of a character in the medieval play "The Siege of Jerusalem" by Ezekiel Landau, which depicted the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Some notable individuals named Deborah throughout history include:

  1. Deborah (12th century BCE), the biblical prophetess and Judge of Israel.
  2. Deborah ben Yehuda (1st century CE), a Jewish heroine during the Jewish Revolt against the Romans.
  3. Deborah of Hungary (c. 1284 – c. 1325), a Hungarian princess and the wife of King Charles I of Hungary.
  4. Deborah Sampson (1760 – 1827), a woman who disguised herself as a man to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
  5. Deborah Kerr (1921 – 2007), a Scottish actress known for her roles in films such as "The King and I" and "From Here to Eternity."

The name Deborah has been consistently used throughout history, though its popularity has varied across different regions and time periods. It has maintained a strong connection to its Hebrew roots and biblical significance.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Deborah was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Deborah, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Deborah first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 8, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/deborah-meaning-and-history/.

"Deborah first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/deborah-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 8 November, 2024

Deborah first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/deborah-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.